CSITC — Round Trials, 2012

The ICAC Task Force on Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton (CSITC) conducted its sixth round of official CSITC Round Trials in 2012. The round trials consist of quarterly tests. Laboratories can opt to participate for the year or for any quarter to suit their seasonal schedules. All cotton fiber testing laboratories capable of measuring cotton samples with rapid testing instruments, often referred to as high volume instruments (HVI), and based on the Universal Calibration Cotton Standards for micronaire, upper-half mean length, length uniformity index, strength, rd color, and +b color are encouraged to participate. Participation in a CSITC Round Trial is not limited to test centers using Uster HVI equipment. CSITC evaluations are based on test results and are not dependent on the manufacturer, model or kind of testing instruments used.

Since the round trial program started in 2007, participation has been sponsored through a project involving the Common Fund for Commodities, the International Cotton Advisory Committee, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Fiber Institute of Bremen, Germany, and the European Community; in the past, only a nominal fee has been charged to cover sample shipping. The project came to an end in December 2011, and a new fee of US$1,000 for four trials/US$250 per trial is being assessed in 2012. Enrollment from year-to-year will be automatic until we are informed to the contrary. Invoices will be emailed once a year. New participants can enroll by visiting <https://www.icac.org/cmte/CSITC-Task-Force/Round-Trials>, filling out the participation and payment forms and returning them according to instructions.